[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Park Jin-hyung] People with disabilities in Nam-gu, Gwangju Metropolitan City, have recently shown outstanding performances by sweeping grand prizes at various competitions, including nationwide events.
According to Nam-gu on the 5th, the Nam-gu Disabled Cultural Arts Group is an organization formed in June last year to revitalize cultural and artistic activities for people with disabilities in the district.
The district office supports all necessary matters for the operation of the Disabled Cultural Arts Group, and the Nam-gu Disabled Welfare Center manages the choir and creative group.
People with disabilities in the district who are active as members of the cultural arts group have recently stood out in various competitions.
First, the choir belonging to the Nam-gu Disabled Cultural Arts Group participated in the ‘2022 National Disabled Cultural Exchange Competition’ held at the 5·18 Memorial Culture Center Democracy Hall last month and won the grand prize.
Eight teams from all over the country participated in the competition, and the Nam-gu Disabled Choir completed the song “O Wonderful Savior” in a conversational form by layering a bright and hopeful fantasy harmony over the violin melody, the accompanying instrument, winning the grand prize.
Currently, about 30 members belong to the choir, and they practice vocalization and choir rehearsals every Wednesday with conductor Joo Guk-jeon and vocal trainers, creating beautiful melodies.
The Nam-gu Disabled Creative Group swept the awards in the literature and music categories at the ‘9th Gwangju Disabled Cultural Arts Festival Work Contest’.
In the literature category, Ms. Park Sun-young won the grand prize with her work “Spider,” and Mr. Park Jong-rok and Mr. Park Sun-woo submitted “Chrysanthemum Family” and “Hallucination’s M?bius,” winning the highest award and excellence award respectively.
In the music category, Mr. Choi Philip received a special award for performing “Cello Concerto No.5 Op.76.”
The creative group members have been actively engaged in individual creative activities and consistently hold weekly meetings to present and evaluate their works.
As the achievements of the Nam-gu Disabled Cultural Arts Group continue, stakeholders related to people with disabilities in the district evaluate that the Nam-gu District Office’s project, operating the cultural arts group through the disabled cultural arts support project, is yielding results.
Kim Boona, director of the Disabled Welfare Center, said, “As far as I know, Nam-gu is the only local government in the Gwangju area operating a choir supported by local government funding. Because the administrative agency provided strong support, people with disabilities could enjoy cultural and artistic activities stably, and thanks to that, good results were achieved.”
Oh Young-soon, a member of the Nam-gu Council and advisor to the Disabled Cultural Arts Support Project, also evaluated, “Since the 7th and 8th terms of the elected district office, policy-wise support for disabled cultural arts projects has been actively carried out, and cultural and artistic activities are thriving. This shows the role of the administrative agency in nurturing disabled cultural artists, demonstrated by the Nam-gu District Office.”
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